


nights with you

by fabulouslyawkward



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Fluff, Insomnia, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, and me self projecting onto allura, ft. nyma's muscles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-15 00:16:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14147748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fabulouslyawkward/pseuds/fabulouslyawkward
Summary: “So I told her that I lived in a shared apartment and that we had extra room…” He’s looking directly at Allura with a huge smile plastered on his face. “She’s moving in tomorrow!”She blinks as if she’s misheard. “Lance…” she says flatly. “We are four people living in a three bedroom apartment. Keith is literally sleeping on the couch because Hunk snores and you’re too selfish to share a room.”-Nyma needs a place to stay, Lance is a good friend, and Allura just wants to sleep.





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> hey guys! i figured i'd write this because if i'm not gonna do it, no one will so!! yeah, i hope you guys like it! it'll probably be five or six chapters but for now here is just the introduction. i made a playlist but i won't post it yet because it'll probably just spoil everything. my vld tumblr is zethzors where i'll be posting all of the updates so go follow!!

Allura drops down onto the couch unoccupied by Hunk and Keith, internally groaning at the thought of a “family meeting”. 

Normal meetings usually take the form of Hunk making out a chore chart because he’s picking up everyone’s slack and Allura can handle that. Hunk’s meetings are short and to the point; he gives them a mini lecture, makes Allura feel sufficiently like a chastised child, and then she skulks off to her room to study or something.   
  
Lance’s flat meetings on the other hand…   
  
Lance could talk for hours about things until Allura doesn’t even know what he’s talking about. Especially when it comes to meetings.   
His last one took three hours that ended in an arm wrestling match between him and Keith. Keith won and Lance ended the meeting by walking ashamedly into his bedroom.

As if summoned by Allura’s thoughts, Lance swans into the living room with an indulgent smile in the boys’ direction before he rounds on Allura, perching delicately on the coffee table in front of her. And why does Allura suddenly feel like she’s at the center of an intervention?

“Hello, my favorite roommate in the entire world,” Lance greets sweetly.

Allura raises an uncertain eyebrow, melting back a little into the couch cushion behind her. “Hi?”

Lance puffs out a breath, glancing over to the other couch at Hunk and Keith again before clapping his hands together. “Okay! So the family meeting is now in session.”

Allura just about refrains from rolling her eyes, tucking her legs up under herself on the couch. Better get comfortable.

“So, I was on Twitter the other day,” Lance begins. “when my friend Nyma- have you guys heard of her?”

Allura isn’t sure why Lance is directing his question at her but she shakes her head anyways. “Um no?”

“Sure you do!” he says waving his hand at her. “Anyways, she sent me a direct message asking what my living situation was because she just broke up with her boyfriend and they lived together.”

Allura doesn’t see how any of this is relevant to them. He’s probably just using this time to brag about his latest hookups.

“So I told her that I lived in a shared apartment and that we had extra room…” He’s looking directly at Allura with a huge smile plastered on his face. “She’s moving in tomorrow!”

She blinks as if she’s misheard. “Lance…” she says flatly. “We are four people living in a three bedroom apartment. Keith is literally sleeping on the couch because Hunk snores and you’re too selfish to share a room.”

“Which is why I was assuming she could stay in your room?”

“Why the fuck would you assume that!”  _ You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. _

“Allura, the poor girl just went through a break up, have some sympathy. Hunk’s room is too crowded with things, and I have too many callers.” He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively making Allura’s eyes roll all the way back into her head.

Great, so Allura is a minimalistic virgin in her roommates’ eyes.

“Besides, it’s only for a couple of months until she can work out enough money to get her own place.”

She bites the inside of her cheek, feeling herself waver and hating herself for it. God, why is she even fucking considering this? Her room is the only place she gets any peace and now she’s considering letting some stranger invade that space.

“Ugh,  _ fine.”  _ She finally agrees, immediately regretting it.

Lance claps his hands together in delight and Allura gives up entirely when he bounds off the coffee table to bounce onto the couch beside her and squeeze her shoulders. “Thank you, ‘Lura! I’m gonna call Nyma right now!”

Lance hops up again, sailing out of the room with his phone pressed to his ear.   
  
Allura raises her head from out of her hands, looking across to the other couch as soon as he’s gone. Keith is already lying down and after turning the TV on; Hunk, meanwhile, meets her gaze sheepishly.   
  
“You couldn’t have talked him out of it?” she asks tiredly.   
  
“I tried,” he tells her and something about his expression makes her believe him. “This is really kind of you.”   
  
“Yeah, whatever.”

She just hopes Nyma won’t be a pain in her ass.

 

* * *

 

Nyma’s not a pain in the ass. She’s a  _ problem _ .

She shows up bright and early the next morning with a purple backpack slung over her shoulder and a suitcase in hand and Allura almost chokes on her cereal.

This is who she’s supposed to be sharing her room with? This tall, blond haired, brown-eyed, fucking ethereal specimen of a human being is her roommate? Allura is so fucked.

She lets out a strangled hello and leaves Hunk to do the rest of the welcoming, opting instead to disappear to the kitchen. She’s not mentally prepared for a conversation just yet. She spends as much time as possible busying herself with washing up after breakfast and corners Lance the second he comes into the kitchen a few minutes later, squinting her eyes at him. “Does the fact that she’s hot have anything to do with why you were so insistent on her moving in here?” She asks, voice low so Nyma doesn’t overhear where she’s still talking to Hunk in the living room.

Lance’s brown eyes light up. “You think she’s hot?”

Wait that’s not what she-

“Believe me, Allura,” Lance continues before she can argue. “If I wanted her in my bed she’d be staying in my room, not yours.”

Allura sighs, giving Lance an unimpressed glare.

“But go you,” Lance says, smirking appreciatively. “Show her some of that charm.” With that, he winks and saunters out of the room.   
  
“I hate you!” Allura calls after him, a beat too late.   
  
She still hears Lance’s “Love you too!” from the other room though.   
  
Eventually Allura decides she can’t hide in the kitchen any longer. Since Nyma is moving into her room she kind of has to be the one to show her where he can put his stuff. She curses herself before wandering down the hall and into her room.   
  
She finds Nyma sitting on the floor sorting through a cardboard box, suitcase and backpack still closed beside her. She looks up when she notices Allura in the doorway, offering her a cheerful smile that very nearly makes Allura’s knees buckle. “Hey! I didn’t wanna disturb anything so I figured I’d just do inventory of my own stuff ‘til you were finished your breakfast.”

_ Fuck _ , she’s nice too.

“It’s cool,” Allura says quickly, leaving the relative safety of the doorway and stepping into the room. She and Lance had pushed her shelves against the left wall next to her closet last night to clear up some space so Nyma could fit a single bed perpendicular to Allura’s. Rather than seeming cramped, it feels snug almost; she doesn’t hate it as much as she thought he would.

“Uh, I cleared some space in the closet and I emptied out the bottom drawer too so you can fit all your clothes,” she says, avoiding Nyma’s gaze and gesturing uselessly at her closet.   
  
She flits her eyes to Nyma when she doesn’t get a response and regrets it immediately because Nyma is grinning and fuck, her smile looks like the sun?

“That’s really nice of you, Allura,” she says earnestly. “Thank you.”

“So do you need any help unpacking?” Allura asked trying to break the ice.

“Not really, most of my thing are still at my parent’s house. I just brought some clothes and my books for school. Oh, and my CD collection.”

Allura smiles at that. “CD collection?”

Nyma looks up from where she’d been digging through her suitcase, “I like listening to music a lot. Majoring in music theory at the university, so hope you don’t mind if I turn it on sometimes.”

“Oh, no that’s fine! I like music too.” Allura said, nodding.

The twinkle in Nyma’s eyes suggests she like music a little more than she’s letting and it makes Allura smile. There’s something so exciting about her – something hidden in her smile that’s instantly drawing Allura in.

“So am I right in saying you’re a science major or are those textbooks on your desk just for fun?” Nyma asks wryly, carefully moving her folded clothes from the suitcase to the drawer Allura had emptied for her.

That makes Allura chuckle. “I’m studying biology.”

Nyma raises her eyebrows in interest. “Wow, I’m rooming with a genius. I better stay on your good side, that could come in handy someday.”

“Who said you were on my good side?”

“Oh, so she has jokes. I see how it is. Guess I should keep one eye open while I sleep, huh.” Allura barked out a laugh at that. “Well, Allura- what’s your last name?”

Allura snorts, shaking her head. “Altea,” she supplies.

“Allura Altea,” she begins again. “I swear to be the best roommate you’ll ever have.”

 

* * *

 

As the morning progresses, conversation between the two girls never really comes to an awkward lull and for the most part they keep it light. Nyma’s surprisingly sweet behind the stunning looks, and Allura is pretty sure she hasn’t let a serial killer sleep in the same room with her.

After the experience of helping Nyma carry a mattress up three flights of stairs, they’re lying on their respective beds, Nyma having abandoned unpacking about twenty minutes ago. It’s then that Allura’s curiosity gets the better of her.

“How come you broke up with your boyfriend?”

She hears Nyma blow out a breath and it’s weird, she thinks, that they’re co-existing so comfortably already. “It hasn’t been working for a while; I think we both just finally admitted it.”

“If it hadn’t been working for a while, why didn’t you just leave?”  _ Shit,  _ Allura you can’t just ask stuff like that.

“Rolo has been there for me when I was going through some tough stuff, so I guess I just felt obligated.” Nyma shrugged her shoulders.

“Tough stuff?” And she doesn’t mean to ask all of these invasive questions, but she can’t help it.

“I don’t know you well enough to tell you that..”   
  
Allura picks her head up off her pillow to look over at Nyma’s bed and finds her smirking back with her eyebrows raised. She huffs a laugh, head falling back to her pillow again. “Fair enough.”   
  
“What about you?” Nyma asks. “This is your first year of college, right? Did you just move in here in August? Is that how you drew the short straw of being stuck with me?”   
  
“I moved in here when I was sixteen,” Allura answers automatically, not realising that probably sounds strange until Nyma makes a surprised noise in the back of her throat.

“How come?”   
  
“I don’t know you well enough to tell you that,” she smirks back, biting down on her smile.

“I see what you did there!” Nyma barks out.

They sit in comfortable silent for a few moments before Nyma speaks again. “Should we set up ground rules or something?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like, we should set up some boundaries to reduce the likelyhood of us pissing each other off, which, by the way, is very likely. I’m an extremely nosy person.”  _ That’s good to know. _

“Oh, ok. What do you have in mind then?”

“Well, for starters… Don’t mess with each other’s things without permission? That’s probably a given.”

Allura nods, thinking of her biology notes, organised in her own particular messy order and winces at the thought of Nyma disturbing them. “Good one. No blaring music when one of us is trying to study or finish an assignment- unless blaring music is the assignment, in your case.”

Nyma grins at the comment but nods along. “If one of us gets a hook-up let’s just agree now to always go back to the other person’s house, or warn the other several hours beforehand.

And of course Allura’s mind goes to the thought of Nyma hooking up with someone in her room. Of course it does. It’s not until she notices that she’s paused to long that Allura agrees. “Yup! Sounds great.”

“Anything else?”

“That’s all I can think of right now. If anything comes up in the future we’ll just talk about it.” She says trying to get her face back to its normal color.

“Communication  _ is  _ the key to any relationship!”

_ How do I communicate to you that you referring to this as a “relationship” is making me want to jump your bones? _

And that’s the millionth time today that Allura has wondered how she’s going to do this.

Thankfully, that’s when Lance walks in suggesting that they go out to drinks later that night in celebration of Nyma’s moving day. Nyma excitedly agrees but Allura has class the next day so she declines, already expecting the frown painted on Lance’s face. He looks back over to Nyma and asks where they should go, setting them off on an enthusiastic conversation about potential bars that has Nyma climbing off her bed and following Lance out of the room to continue their discussion while making lunch. Allura is quietly glad for the reprieve.

Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she opens her last conversation with Shay.   
__   
Allura: roommate’s moved in, save me?   
Shay: that bad already? come on over girly

She manages to escape while Nyma and Lance are distracted in the kitchen; Hunk’s in the living room but he doesn’t even raise his head to acknowledge her existence while she silently toes on her shoes at the front door.

Shay already has a sandwich and a soda waiting for her when she arrives and Allura really fucking loves her best friend. She collapses onto the couch and gratefully takes the offered plate from Shay’s hands, curling her legs up underneath her. “Thank you,” she sighs happily, taking the first precious bite and closing her eyes with relish.

“Your text sounded so ominous. Is she really that bad?”

Allura frowns, only a little bit. “She’s not bad, that’s the problem.

Shay scrunches her face up in confusion. “Huh, isn’t that a good thing?”

Allura rolls her head to the side. “Shay, she’s so pretty.”

“Oh my god, Allura,” Shay laughs, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “I thought the chick was a fucking creep or something.”

“Shay,  _ help me _ .”

“What do you want me to do?” she scoffs, shaking her head. “If you like her then do something about it.”

Allura acts like that’s most absurd idea she’s ever heard. “I’m supposed to share a room with Nyma for a couple of months and you’re suggesting I should hit on her?”

“Okay, can you actually explain to me what’s so great about her?” Shay asks, looking far too amused about this entire situation. “You’ve only known her like five minutes.”

“Well, she has a nice face, like I said-“   
  
Shay snorts but gestures for Allura to continue when she scowls at her.   
  
“And she’s just- really nice. Like she was so serious about not getting in my way or anything; she even promised to be the best roommate ever. And she’s so easy to talk to! We were talking all morning and I- what?” Allura cuts herself off, eyes narrowing at the smirk on Shay’s face.   
  
“Nothing, I just think this is the first time you’ve ever had a real crush.” She looked giddy.

“I don’t have a crush,” Allura says, offended. “And even if I did, it’s not my first one so fuck you.”   
  
“I don’t count,” Shay argues, waving a hand dismissively. “I mean like, you genuinely getting flustered over some girl and gushing to me about it. You haven’t really done that before.”

“I mean, I’ve only been out for a year.” she says, suddenly feeling shy. “It’s not like there were many options in high school anyways.” 

“It sounds like there’s a pretty good option in your own room right now so I don’t know what you’re doing here.” Shay teases.

Allura rolls her eyes and blushes but the smile is hard to fight. “Come on. You know I can’t do anything,” she says seriously. “She just got out of a five year relationship with a guy. She’s probably straight.”

“That’s very heteronormative of you, Allura,” Shay says, maintaining her serious expression until Allura elbowing her in the side makes her laugh.

“Someone’s been reading Buzzfeed a little too much lately.” Allura jokes, clicking her tongue in disapproval.

“Ok, shut up! It’s boring around here.”

“Aha! So you admit it!” They’re both clutching at their stomachs laughing at this point and Allura is really glad she came. Shay makes everything seems like not as big of a deal. She always has.

“Okay, okay,” Shay laughs, holding her hands up in surrender. “Look, just relax. You’re a little starry-eyed right now because you just met her but you’re about to live with her. Everyone has gross habits; I guarantee she’ll fall right off this pedestal you’ve built by next week.”

Allura chews her lip. Shay has a point – Allura isn’t exactly the definition of put together when she’s in the comfort of her own room, surely Nyma is the same? “You think so?”   
  
“I’m telling you, you’ll be over here complaining about how she chews with her mouth open within a week.”   
  
Allura nods with uncertainty, picking at her half-eaten sandwich.

Hopefully she’s right.

* * *

When she gets back to the apartment the first thing she hears is Keith and Lance calling to each other from their respective bedrooms about outfit choices and Allura tiptoes past as silently as she can – she does not need Lance trying to convince her to get drunk in front of Nyma on a school night.

Successfully escaping to her room is a relief – or it would be if she didn’t walk in on a half-naked Nyma dancing to some song playing quietly.

“Sorry!” she says instantly, whirling around to face the door.   
  
Nyma’s laugh rings out behind her and Allura’s face is on fire. “Allura, it’s fine. We’re sharing a room, I’m pretty sure we’re gonna see each other shirtless sometimes.”   
  
_ Please don’t put that thought in my head. _ __   
  
Slowly, Allura shuffles back around to face the room at large, ducking her head when her eyes land on Nyma grinning amusedly at her.   
  
“Sorry,” she mutters. “When you walk in on someone around here, it’s accidentally opening the bathroom door when Keith’s in the shower or witnessing Lance in compromising positions.” She clears her throat; she’s still scarred from the last time he walked in on Lance.   
  
“Okay, note to self: always knock before going into Lance’s room,” Nyma laughs and she’s still just wearing her bra. She wants Allura to die.

“It’s better for everyone,” Allura agrees awkwardly.

Nyma chuckles again, finally shrugging into the t-shirt that had been dangling from her hand when Allura had walked in. “But seriously, I don’t care if you’re in the room when I get changed. I don’t get weird about that kind of stuff.”   
  
Allura nods, venturing a little further into the room and walking toward her bed.   
  
“Unless you’re uncomfortable, of course,” Nyma adds and her expression is nothing but sincere when Allura looks up.   
  
“No, it’s cool,” Allura assures her, even if it feels a lot like lying.

“Alright then, I’m gonna head out. Have fun sleeping and not getting drunk.” Nyma waved goodbye and grabbed her keys before heading out the door, leaving Allura alone.

When they’ve all left, Allura makes use of having the place to herself by moving to the living room with her things and doing homework in front of the TV. She ends up cooking some pasta in the kitchen a little while later, turning her music on full blast. She studies a little bit at the kitchen table while it cooks and then takes it to eat in her room which Lance never really likes them to do, but if she’s paying rent, she’ll do whatever she wants.

She hears the door unlock followed by the sound of voices and laughter just as she finished up her meal.  _ Damn, had it really been that long already?  _ The clock on her nightstand confirmed her question: 11:02.

Nyma stumbles into the doorway, interrupting Allura’s thoughts.  _ She looks wasted _ . Allura gets out of bed to go help her walk towards the closet for pajamas and then exits the room to escape another awkward changing situation. She then spends probably longer than necessary in the kitchen getting a glass of water while she waits for Nyma to change.

It isn’t until she’s lying in bed with the lights off, Nyma falling asleep in her own bed only meters away, that Allura remembers the problem.   
  
Her insomnia’s been killing him lately.   
  
With the stress of starting college and trying to scramble up enough money for next month’s rent, she’s barely slept more than four hours a night for the past three weeks. Normally she reads or researches for her assignments or watches a movie or something to try and tire herself out but she can’t do that when there’s someone else in her room. She’d have to turn on the light or the movie would make too much noise.   
  
So instead she lies awake, staring up at her ceiling and watching it slowly become clearer as her eyes adjust to the darkness. At some point Nyma’s breathing evens out and becomes heavier and the sound is almost enough to trick Allura’s body into feeling tired too but no matter how hard she tries, she can’t keep her eyes closed for longer than a few minutes.   
  
Watching the light outside her curtains slowly get brighter Allura thinks,  _ yeah. Nyma might be a problem. _


	2. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I know we’ve only known each other for a few days but- I’m a good listener. So if you ever wanna talk, the offer’s there.”  
> “Thanks,” Allura says, feeling genuinely touched at the earnestness in Nyma’s voice. “I just don’t know you well enough to tell you this stuff, I guess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i posted this early because i suddenly have motivation!! this might feel a little slow but i'm building it all right now, next chapter will....... be Good though. hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!

Allura is leaving the kitchen with her instant noodles on Monday night, fully intending on making a beeline for her bedroom, when she’s stopped in the living room.  
  
“Allura,” Lance whines from where he’s got his head resting in Hunk’s lap. “Come watch a movie with us.”  
  
Lance is sprawled across one of the couches with Hunk while Nyma and Keith are curled up at opposite ends of the other couch. And it looks cosy and inviting, sure, but Allura is also up to her forehead in work.  
  
“Can’t, I have an assignment,” she says distractedly, sidestepping a little closer toward her bedroom.  
  
Lance tuts. “Two hours won’t kill you. Spend some quality time with your roommates! We’re bonding,” he finishes proudly, nodding at the others.  
  
Allura looks longingly towards her room, already knowing she won’t win this argument. She’s considering folding when Nyma chimes in with, “You can sit in between me and Keith.”  
  
“Oh?” Allura feels herself blushing because of Nyma for the hundredth time that week, maybe even that day.

The sound of Lance’s, “Okay!” makes her jump. She looks back over to the other couch and finds Eskild sitting up, pointing emphatically at the empty spot between Even and Linn. “Sit down, princess. We’re watching Sleepless in Seattle. You don’t get a say.”

Accepting defeat with a long-suffering sigh, Allura trudges over to the couch and takes the empty seat in the middle, pulling her noodles closer to her chest out of Keith’s reach and doing her best not to brush against Nyma. Lance reaches for the remote to press play when Allura is settled and everyone falls quiet again.  
  
The silence only lasts about twenty minutes, broken first by Hunk asking, “Isn’t that the girl from When Harry Met Sally?” which starts Nyma off on a tangent about why When Harry Met Sally is one of the best romantic movies of all time. Allura stares at her in disbelief as she speaks, talking with her hands excitedly. There’s something fascinating about the way she explains it with so much passion and Allura finds herself agreeing even though she doesn’t think she’s ever seen When Harry Met Sally.  
  
“I didn’t know you were so into romcoms.” Allura teases, suddenly confident.

“Oh for sure, all of those dramas are too depressing for me anyways.” She grins back. Cute.

Not long after that conversation has Allura bites the inside of her mouth, desperately fending off the smile threatening to break out across her face. She can’t think of anything to say so she settles for nodding a beat too late and turning back to the film.

When she’s sure Nyma’s no longer looking at her she ducks her head, allowing a private smile to spread across her face. If only for a moment or two.

* * *

  
  
Allura’s first week living with Nyma goes surprisingly well except for a few things: She has yet to discover any bad habits of Nyma’s that make her seem any less attractive, and she’s slept a grand total of about eleven hours.

Nyma has been staying in her room for six days and, if nothing else, they’re able to co-exist peacefully. She normally gets up before Allura does which means the room is empty when Allura wakes up from her fitful sleep. Nyma is clean but she’s not a neat freak either so she doesn’t get mad when Allura leaves clothes on the floor. And true to her word, Nyma never touches Allura’s things, not even when she ran out of shampoo.

Honestly, other than the lack of sleep it’s kind of perfect.  
  
Allura had expected to feel uncomfortable having someone in her space all the time but Nyma has been really good so far about giving Allura time to herself. If she notices Allura slipping off to their room after dinner she’ll hang out in the living room with the others for a while or go for a shower to give Allura a chance to just spend some time on her own. It’s an unspoken gesture but Allura appreciates it a lot.  
  
But the sleep thing, yeah it’s getting worse.  
  
The last time things were this bad, Allura had just moved out of home and her anxieties about her sexuality had been making her isolate herself even though she knew everyone except her mom would be fine with it. It’d gotten better when she’d come out to Lance and subsequently Shay. For almost all of her senior year, she’d gotten a full eight hours every night, feeling like a weight had finally been lifted off her shoulders once everyone she loved knew the truth.

Now she feels like he’s back to square one again.

Things had been getting stressful over the past few weeks but now she feels like any trick she did have to make herself fall asleep is useless when it could potentially wake up Nyma.  
  
People have started noticing too. The first time, Lance makes a joke about Allura not getting as much sleep with Nyma in her room, but after two or three days of Allura walking into the kitchen in the morning like a zombie and drinking more coffee than should be humanly possible, Lance asks her if she’s okay with a concerned frown creasing his forehead.  
  
He’s seen this before after all.  
  
Allura just shrugs helplessly and says she’s a little stressed over her assignments. Lance drops it but Allura doesn’t miss the worried glances he throws her when he thinks she’s not looking.  
  
Shay is a different story.  
  
They’re having lunch on Thursday and waiting for Hunk to meet them when she brings it up.  
  
“‘Lura, are you feeling okay?”  
  
Allura looks up from her depressing sandwich and is hit with the full force of Shay’s concerned eyebrows. “I’m fine,” she says automatically.  
  
Shay gives her a look. “The circles under your eyes are so dark it might as well be eyeliner and I know you’re too lazy to put on makeup in the mornings.”  
  
Allura rolls her eyes, avoiding looking back at Shay’s all too knowing gaze.  
  
“Have you been sleeping?”  
  
Allura stares down her food, shrugging half-heartedly. “I’m just a little stressed.”  
  
“Are you sure?” Shay presses. “Because the last time you weren’t sleeping-“  
  
“I know, okay?” Allura sighs, cutting her off. “I’m not keeping anything from you. College is just hard.”  
  
“Allura, I’m not worried if you’re keeping things from me, I’m worried if you’re okay.”  
  
Finally, Allura looks up from her food and sees nothing but sincerity in Shay’s expression. Allura promised herself a long time ago she would always go to Shay when she had a problem instead of bottling it up and she’d meant that. She’s just not sure what Shay can do about this one.  
  
So instead she settles for, “I promise I’ll tell you if it gets worse.”  
  
Shay relents at that, nudging the chocolate bar she’d bought for herself over to Allura as a peace offering. “Just take care of yourself. Please.”  
  
Allura nods, picking up the bar. “I will. But I’m not sure how much chocolate helps?”  
  
Shay snorts a laugh, rolling her eyes. “Chocolate always helps, fuck you.”  
  
Allura laughs and doesn’t say anymore when Hunk comes blustering over to their table with his own food.  
  
“Why is the line here always so long?” He complains as he slumps into his seat.  
  
“You just need to be patient,” Shay advises him, leaning back in her chair. Hunk pokes at Allura’s half-eaten sandwich. “That looks pathetic, man. Have some of my fries.”  
  
Stealing a few fries off of Hunk’s plate with a grateful smile Allura lets himself get swept up in their conversation and feels herself relax.  
  
She can worry about sleep later.

* * *

  
  
Allura is at her desk, reading through one of the books she took out of the library this morning for her chemistry assignment and making notes. It’s tedious but the chapter she’s reading is interesting, at least. Nyma is on her own bed watching a video with her headphones plugged in. The notebook she’s writing in would suggest it’s a film she has to watch for class but Allura is finding that it’s hard to tell with Nyma.  
  
She has one page left in the chapter when her phone buzzes on the desk. She glances away from the book to see who it is and feels her mood immediately shutter when she sees it’s her uncle.

Suppressing a sigh, she hits save on her laptop and unlocks her phone to read the full message.  
  
_Coran: Allura, your mom isn’t doing so well at the moment. She’s staying at the care facility for the next few days, it’d be nice if you visited her._  
  
There’s a special kind of sinking feeling that comes with these texts. When Allura had been halfway through her junior year, her parents had gotten into a car wreck that killed her dad and left her mom with some brain damage and mental health problems. She’d been admitted to a care facility, leaving Allura to live alone in their house and stayed there right until the start of Allura’s final year. Now she lives at home with weekly visits from her nurse and therapy appointments but there’ve been a few incidences in the past year where she’s had to be checked back into the facility.  
  
She doesn’t realise how long she’s been staring down at her phone until Nyma’s voice is jolting her back to reality.  
  
“Everything okay?”  
  
She snaps her head up, twisting in her chair to look back at Nyma. Her earphones are in her hand and she’s watching Allura with an curious expression.  
  
“Yeah, fine,” she says belatedly. “It’s just my uncle.”  
  
Nyma chews on her lip for a moment, gaze shifting down to her laptop and then back up to Allura. “I know we’ve only known each other for a few days but- I’m a good listener. So if you ever wanna talk, the offer’s there.”  
  
“Thanks,” Allura says, feeling genuinely touched at the earnestness in Nyma’s voice. “I just don’t know you well enough to tell you this stuff, I guess.”  
  
Nyma gives her a rueful smile. “Is that going to be our code from now on when we don’t wanna talk about things?”  
  
Allura huffs a laugh, shaking her head. “That’s probably not a bad idea.”  
  
“Got it,” Nyma replies, nodding decisively. “If either of us says that the topic’s off limits. I’ll add it to the roommate contract.”  
  
Allura smiles at her but he knows it doesn’t reach her eyes.  
  
“If you’re finished studying you can come watch this movie with me?” Nyma suggests, nodding down at her laptop.  
  
Allura looks at the textbook and then at the cursor blinking on her laptop screen. She thinks her concentration and motivation levels plummeted the minute her phone buzzed. She can’t see herself getting much else done tonight that’ll be any good to her. “What is it about?”  
  
“Some singer songwriters in Harlem,” Nyma tells her. “I’m watching it for one of my classes but I only started like twenty minutes ago. I don’t mind rewinding?”  
  
Silently deliberating for a moment, Allura turns back to her desk to close her laptop, folding down the corner of the page in her book so she won’t lose her place. “My brain doesn’t work properly after 11:00 anyway.”  
  
Nyma grins up at her as she pushes herself out of her seat, unplugging the earphones from her laptop. It’s only when she reaches Nyma’s bed that Allura starts to panic – Nyma has a single bed, it’s not exactly very roomy. But Nyma scooches over to make space for her so Allura hesitantly climbs onto the mattress and tries to make herself comfortable.  
  
Their shoulders are overlapping and their sides are pressed together and Allura wishes she’d suggested they move to her bed. But there’s nothing she can do about it now so she lets Nyma balance the laptop between both their laps and relaxes back against the pillow behind her while Nyma presses play.  
  
Truth be told, Allura finds it difficult to pay attention to the movie. For the first half an hour, she’s so hyper-aware of all the places she and Nyma are touching that she can’t focus on anything else. When she finally starts to feel at ease it’s mainly because the exhaustion takes over and she’s too tired to be self-conscious. She sinks a little deeper into the pillow, eyes drooping and sending her into that hazy place between sleep and awake.  
  
It’s only when her head drops onto Nyma’s shoulder that she bolts awake again.  
  
“Sorry!” she blurts out in a rush, pushing herself to sit up straight and feeling her face flush scarlet.  
  
Nyma sends her a glance as if she hadn’t even noticed Allura’s head on her shoulder. “It’s okay if you want to sleep. I won’t be offended if you find the movie boring.” Her voice is playful and it only causes Allura’s blush to deepen.  
  
“It’s not the movie,” she insists, feeling panicked at the thought of Nyma believing she’s not interested. “I guess I’m more tired than I thought.”  
  
“Time for bed?”  
  
“Probably,” she agrees, smiling weakly. “Thanks, though. Maybe we can finish the movie some other time?”  
  
Nyma’s smile shouldn’t set her heart racing but the hammering in her chest is too loud to ignore. “Of course we can. Goodnight, Allura.”  
  
“Night.” She slips out of Nyma’s bed after a pause, thankful she’d had the foresight to change into her pajamas earlier so she can just crawl straight into her own bed. Nyma turns off her bedside lamp as soon as Allura’s under his covers and plugs in her earphones again.  
  
Considering how close to sleep she’d been only minutes before, Allura expects to drift off almost immediately but when she closes his eyes sleep doesn’t come. She ends up staying awake until Nyma finishes the movie. She stays awake while Nyma puts away his laptop and shuffles out of the room to go to the bathroom. She stays awake while Nyma climbs back into bed. She stays awake while Nyma’s breathing slowly evens out.  
  
She stays awake.

* * *

  
  
Before Nyma moved in, Allura’s Saturdays were usually dedicated to sleeping in for as long as possible and then stumbling into the kitchen for something vaguely resembling breakfast and retreating to her room again. (Or alternatively, Lance rudely waking her up around noon and bothering her until she got up.)  
  
Now, however, she wakes up to the smell of bacon wafting down the hall through her cracked open door, accompanied by the sound of the radio playing in the other room. She pushes herself up on her elbows, face scrunched up in confusion. It’s definitely too late for Hunk to be cooking breakfast and bacon’s not really his style anyway – he’s more of an oatmeal and fruit type.  
  
Feeling slightly dazed, Allura stumble out of bed, grabbing a hoodie off the back of her desk chair and shrugging it over her head as she pads down the hall. When she reaches the door to the kitchen she peeks inside and feels her eyes widen in shock at the sight of Nyma standing at the stove, pushing bacon around in a pan with a spatula.  
  
Allura doesn’t recall making a noise but Nyma must sense her presence because she looks up after a moment, offering Allura a bright smile. “Good morning!”  
  
“Morning?” Allura greets confusedly.  
  
“Want some breakfast?” Nyma asks cheerfully. “I always make way too much.”  
  
It’s only then that Allura notices the scrambled eggs heating in another pan. This all feels so bizarre, this doesn’t feel like Allura’s kitchen. It’s like she’s stepped into a parallel universe.  
  
“Uh yeah. Thanks,” she answers, taking a few measured steps into the kitchen and moving to sit at the table. “Where are the others?”  
  
“Keith’s still sleeping on the couch,” Nyma tells her over her shoulder. “Hunk’s out for brunch and Lance is in the shower.”  
  
Allura nods even though Nyma can’t see her. “Can I do anything to help?”  
  
“Nah, this is just about done!” Nyma says, turning off the knobs at the stove and dishing the eggs out onto two plates and Allura definitely didn’t miss Nyma reaching for a second plate in the last two minutes which means that plate was already out. Had she been planning on making breakfast for Allura the whole time?  
  
Probably a thought Allura probably shouldn’t entertain.  
  
Before she can think to say anything else Nyma is turning around and presenting a plate of eggs and bacon to Allura, setting her own down in front of the opposite seat. “Do you want a drink?” she asks, turning to the fridge presumably in search of the orange juice.  
  
“Yeah, thanks,” Allura says absentmindedly, still not entirely sure what’s happening right now.  
  
Nyma returns moments later with two glasses and two forks, finally taking up residence on the other side of the table. Allura takes that as permission to start eating and has to suppress a moan at the first forkful of eggs.  
  
She must not be that successful because she catches Nyma grinning at her from across the table. “Good?”  
  
Allura nods, wiping her mouth with her hoodie sleeve.

“The secret’s minced onions,” Nyma tells her in confidence.

“Minced _what?”_

“Minced onions!” Allura’s laughing now. “Shut up, you love it.”

They eat in comfortable silence for a few minutes but when Allura feels Nyma’s eyes on her she looks up.  
  
“I didn’t keep you up last night, did I?” Nyma asks, frown etching into her forehead.

Allura blinks in surprise; she hadn’t thought Nyma noticed she was awake after she went to bed. “No, why?”  
  
“You were just tossing and turning a lot after you went to bed,” Nyma explains with a shrug. “Thought the glow of my laptop might’ve been too bright even with the light off.”  
  
“Nah,” Allura says, brushing her off. She had trouble sleeping long before Nyma showed up and sitting in Nyma’s bed last night had been the earliest she’d dozed off in weeks. “I’m just a restless sleeper.”  
  
Nyma nods, not looking 100% convinced. “Me living here isn’t a problem for you, is it?” she asks, worry seeping into her voice and making Allura confused.

“Why would it be?”

Nyma sighs, staring down at her breakfast. “I feel like I’m constantly in your space and you can’t relax with me around. If this is more than you signed up for, it’s okay. I can leave.”  
  
Allura stares at her, needing a second to digest what Nyma’s suggesting. She wants to leave? Or, what’s probably more surprising, Allura realises whe really, really doesn’t want her to leave. “No!” she says when her mouth finally catches up with her brain. “No, it’s okay, honestly. I- it’s nothing to do with you.”  
  
Nyma still doesn’t look like she believes her so Allura swallows down the anxiety she feels at sharing any personal information and says, “I have insomnia. It gets pretty bad when I’m stressed and starting uni’s been a big transition so I haven’t been sleeping well lately. It’s nothing to do with you.”  
  
Nyma’s face is blank and Allura chews the inside of her cheek while she waits for her to say something.  
  
“That’s- sorry, Allura, I didn’t know,” she says as if it’s somehow her fault Allura’s not sleeping.  
  
Allura shrugs. “I’m used to it.”  
  
“Have you ever gone to the doctor about it?”  
  
“Once. Back when being in the closet was eating me alive. She told me to try talking to someone.”  
  
“Like a therapist?” Nyma asks.  
  
Allura shrugs again. “She suggested it but in the end I just talked to my friend Shay.”  
  
“You came out to her?” Nyma guesses.  
  
Allura nods, “It actually helped a lot. I started sleeping better. I haven’t really had this problem in almost a year.”  
  
Nyma smiles sympathetically, pushing her eggs around her plate while she deliberates something in his head. She meets Allura’s gaze and it feels a little too knowing considering they’ve only known each other for a week. “Well my offer from last night stands. You can talk to me, if you want to.”  
  
Allura lets a genuine smile twist up the corners of her mouth. “Thanks.”  
  
“Seriously, just wake me up, I don’t care,” Nyma continues. “I know what it’s like not to be able to sleep.”  
  
Allura raises an eyebrow, opening her mouth to ask when Nyma cuts her off.  
  
“Don’t know me well enough,” she clarifies with a quirk of her lips.  
  
Allura rolls her eyes, fighting a smile. “I just told you a bit of mine! For free and everything!”  
  
Nyma’s eyes are sparkling with something playful and it makes Allura stomach do flips. “Ask me tonight if you can’t sleep.”

* * *

  
  
Allura never actually intends to wake Nyma up. Despite their joking that morning, she doesn’t want to disrupt her sleep schedule or make her share any information about herself that she’s not ready to. Considering the lock she keeps on his own past, she doesn’t expect or need Nyma to tell her anything she doesn’t want.  
  
But it’s 3:41 in the morning and Allura’s been trying to get to sleep for nearly four hours. She’s desperate.  
  
So she murmurs, “Nyma?” into the quiet of the room and waits for a response.  
  
The answer is a sleep-heavy, “Hmm?” a few moments later.  
  
“Are you awake?” she asks timidly, squeezing her eyes shut at how nervous she feels. This is stupid, she shouldn’t be doing this, she should just tell Nyma to go back to sleep.  
  
But then she hears a sighed out, “Yeah. Can’t sleep?”  
  
“No,” she whispers.  
  
“Alright, ask whatever you want,” Nyma mumbles and Allura can hear her shifting around on the bed. “My defences are down.”  
  
“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to,” Allura says softly.  
  
Nyma is silent a moment and then she murmurs, “I won’t.”  
  
Allura bites her lip, considering her words carefully. “What did you mean when you said you know what it’s like not to be able to sleep?”  
  
The silence is even longer this time and Allura is almost convinced Nyma has fallen back to sleep but then Nyma’s smooth voice is breaking the quiet.  
  
“My brother got cancer two years ago,” she says. “I worked late nights to help my mom with hospital bills and then couldn’t sleep when I got home because I was worried he’d collapse at any minute. So yeah, I know the feeling.”  
  
Allura allows herself a moment to take in the information.

“My mom’s sick,” she confesses and she’s not sure what makes her say it. Maybe it’s because it feels like Nyma will understand. Maybe it’s just because she really needs to talk. “That’s probably one of the other reasons why I can’t sleep. She’s a lot better now than she was before but um, when my uncle texted last night- she’s uh, she’s going through a bad patch at the moment, I guess.”  
  
“That must be hard,” Nyma says finally.  
  
“So is having a sick kid brother probably,” Allura returns.

“It’s okay, he’s in remission now,” Nyma whispers. “I’m okay.”  
  
Allura doesn’t know what to say next but then her mind strays to their conversation from last night. “You can go back to sleep if you want,” she says quietly. “But um, could we maybe watch the end of that movie?”  
  
Silence and then, “I’ll get my laptop.”  
  
“We can watch it on my bed,” Allura says. “There’s more room.”  
  
A moment later the room is lighting up from the glow of Nyma’s laptop and Allura can hear her soft footfalls as she shuffles from her own bed to Allura’s.  
  
Allura pushes over to the left side, closer to her nightstand, to give Nyma room. And part of her feels strange because this is strange – she’s inviting Nyma into her bed – but another part of her just really needs to sleep.  
  
Nyma sets the laptop on the mattress between them and the distance between them is bigger this time; it helps Allura breathe a little easier. Nyma presses play and turns the volume down until it’s just loud enough to be heard.  
  
She lies down then, curled on her side toward Allura so she can keep her eyes on the film and after a moment’s hesitation, Allura shifts around to mirror her. Nyma plays the movie from the beginning again and Allura considers telling her they can just skip to where they stopped last night but she doesn’t really feel like speaking anymore.

Nyma’s in her pajamas, a tank top and some sweatpants but she's  _stunning_ even though it’s almost four in the morning and the only lighting is the gleam of the laptop. It’s almost driving Allura crazy, but she tries to pay attention to the movie this time and she actually finds herself keeping up with the storyline for the most part. But around halfway through her eyelids start to feel heavy and the sound of the film starts to filter in and out, like tuning a radio.  
  
She just needs to close her eyes for a second.  
  
When she opens them again the room is almost completely bright and Nyma’s fast asleep in her own bed on the other side of the room but the space she’d occupied on Allura’s mattress is still warm when she slides her hand over it.  
  
If Allura shifts over to fall back to sleep on the right side of her bed, well, no one needs to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr - zethzors


	3. three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “When’s the last time someone held you?”
> 
> The question pulls her up short. The truth is, she can’t really remember the last time she had a proper, comforting hug from someone. Any hug she’d given one of the boys was always a short pat on the back.
> 
> “I don’t know,” she whispers eventually.
> 
> There’s silence for a moment and then she hears Nyma’s feet hitting the carpeted floor. One, two, three, four steps and Nyma’s lifting the other side of her blanket.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you like it!! leave a comment or find me on dykenyma, love talking to y'all!

Allura expects things to feel awkward after the whole falling asleep with Nyma in her bed thing but if anything, she feels somehow closer to Nyma. She feels like she understands her a little better. She knows Nyma revealed something deeply personal by telling Allura about her brother and she doesn’t feel the need to pry or know more. Regardless of their jokes about their personal lives, she doesn’t need Nyma to tell her anything else.

When it comes to herself, she can admit she feels a little bit lighter having told Nyma about her mother and not being able to sleep. Even though Shay and Lance know too, it still felt like a weight off her shoulders telling someone else.

She still hasn’t really been able to sleep and she hasn’t worked up the nerve to wake Nyma up again since that night but midnight conversations aside, Allura likes getting to know her.

There’s something comfortable about Nyma’s presence.

Somehow after only a little over two weeks, she manages to insert herself into Allura’s life as if she’s always been there.

Where Allura used to lounge on the couch alone to watch TV, now Nyma sprawls across the other couch and laughs at all of the dumb jokes the shows Allura likes make. Where Allura used to cook herself a mediocre dinner of questionable ingredients, now Nyma helps her cook or just literally shares her own dinner with her. Where Allura used to get the bus to campus alone on a Wednesday because she started earlier than Hunk and Lance, now Nyma comes with her, squashed against Allura’s side during the busy morning commute in order to make her own 8 am class.

In general, Allura likes to be alone. She’s easily irritated and there are only a select few people she can stand for an extended period of time but there’s something about Nyma that just makes her easy to be around.

She’s unassuming and doesn’t push and doesn’t make Allura feel drained like a lot of people do.

Right now they’re riding the bus home together – a coincidence, they’d bumped to each other at the bus stop near campus; apparently they finish at the same time on Tuesday’s too – and Allura is ranting about her assignment.

It’s only when she glances over and catches Nyma’s quietly amused expression that she realises she’s been complaining for about ten minutes without a pause.

“I’ve been talking too much, haven’t I?” she asks sheepishly and Nyma giggles.

“By all means! Tell me more about how your chemistry lecturer is in fact the antichrist.”

Allura rolls her eyes, feeling her cheeks heat up as she bites back a smile. “Sorry. This assignment’s just kicking my ass.”

“Oh, I get that. I have to compose a short piece for my songwriting class, but I have no idea where to start. All my professor told us was to make it about something that inspires us. What is that supposed to mean? Chicken nuggets inspire me, but I won’t write a song about chicken nuggets.”

“Aw, why not?” Allura says, trying to hold a straight face.

“Because,” she pauses, “Actually, that’s true. Why not?” Nyma’s smile takes up her whole face, and you can tell she’s thinking.

“I really hope you’re kidding, for the sake of this entire world.”

Nyma gasps dramatically. “Are you serious? It’d be the Hey Jude of our generation.”

“Of course it would, I just don’t think people are prepared to appreciate what kind of masterpiece you’d create.” They’re both laughing uncontrollably now, getting stares from some people on the bus.

“I bet none of these people have had chicken nuggets lately. They’re just jealous.” Allura whispers in Nyma’s direction, still chuckling.

“Duh,” she whispers back, just as the bus stops. Then she grabs Allura’s wrist and stand up, dragging her toward the exit.

“Nyma, this isn’t our stop.” Allura protests.

“I know that. I have an idea, just follow me!” And they step off of the bus together. Allura doesn’t realize Nyma is still holding her wrist until they’re a few blocks away from the stop, but she doesn’t say anything.

When the corner market comes into Allura’s view, she knows exactly where they’re going. “We’re going to get chicken nuggets?”

“How’d you guess?”

“Nyma, I have an assignment due next week and I need to work on it.” She whines, pulling away from the other girl’s grip.

“Next week? You were complaining about it like it was due tomorrow or something.”

“I like to get a head start on things, ok?” Allura says.

Nyma’s deep brown eyes twinkle a little but. “How about you get a head start tomorrow, and we just chill today? I never see you relax.”

She was right. Allura couldn’t remember the last time she’d done something fun besides hanging out at Shay’s. “Ok, I guess. You’re a terrible influence though, I hope you know that.”

“That’s what all the ladies tell me.” Nyma responds with a wink.

 _Holy shit._ Allura could feel her heart immediately speed up and she tried laughing it off, but it was awkward. She just decided to shut up and follow Nyma into the store, silenting praying to not be any more embarrassing.

 

* * *

 

 They got home around eight and headed straight to the kitchen with all of the groceries. After making them for the entire apartment, Allura and Nyma headed for the couch with their nuggets and turned on an episode of the Voice. Hunk and Keith sat down with them a couple minutes later, and Allura for the first time in a while had felt a sense of security. All of these people wanted to hang out and eat with her, even if it was in the comfort of their own home. She wished that things could stay like that forever but after the show ended, they all retreated back to their individual rooms.

Allura went to their room and changed quickly, before Nyma finished washing the dishes. She’s laying down on her bed when Nyma appears in the door frame. She goes over to her own bed and plops down, sighing loudly.

“That was fun today, yeah?” Nyma asks.

“Yeah, thank you for that.” Allura says, looking over at Nyma.

“Anytime.” It’s quiet for a few moments before she speaks again. “Well, I’m going to bed. Can I shut off the lights?”

“Sure, I should try to sleep too.” Allura agrees.

Nyma gets up and flips the switch on the wall, adjusting to darkness before going over the dresser and grabbing a shirt to sleep in.

“Still having trouble sleeping?” Nyma asks Allura can just make out the shape of her pulling her t-shirt over her head. She averts her eyes to the ceiling instead.

“Mm,” she hums noncommittally. She just wants one fucking good night’s sleep. Just one. Is that so much to ask for?

Nyma doesn’t reply and for a minute the only sound is her changing and pulling back her covers to climb into bed. “Would talking help?” she asks when it sounds like she’s finally tucked up in bed.

“Maybe,” Allura replies quietly. “Do you- were you always good about managing it? Helping your mom out with your brother, and all.”

Nyma doesn’t answer right away and with every passing second Allura feels like she’s crossed a line, asking that way too soon. She’s about to apologise and say forget it when Nyma speaks.

“No,” she says honestly. “When we first found out I didn’t want to accept it yet? So I drank at parties and smoked way more than I should’ve and ignored everyone. But um, then he had a really bad night at the hospital one night and I had missed it because I was getting wasted at some club and it kind of served as a wakeup call, y’know?”

“Yeah,” Allura whispers.

“So I started visiting them more often, and I got another job to help out with the bills. Rolo would help out sometimes too but he’d get on to me when I hadn’t seen them for awhile.”

Allura can hear the resentment creeping into Nyma’s voice and it surprises her. “Is that part of why you broke up?”

Nyma lets out a quiet noise of confirmation and sighs. “I know he meant well but it felt like he was put out by it. By me. It just- it didn’t feel like a relationship anymore, and I felt guilty about all of the money he was giving me. I felt like a burden.”

“I don’t think you could ever be a burden,” Allura murmurs, barely above a whisper, and the truth of the words surprises her a bit. If anything, Nyma staying in her room should feel like a burden. But it never has.

Nyma’s, “Thanks,” is so quiet Allura hardly hears it but it makes her chest clench nonetheless.

“Why do you ask anyway?” Nyma asks, correctly guessing, “Worried about your mom?”

“She had to be checked back into the care facility,” Allura confesses. “I called her the other day and she sounded okay but I’m just- worried, I guess.”

“She’ll be okay,” Nyma says softly. “Progress isn’t linear, you know.”

“Yeah.” The word comes out a little choked and Allura is surprised to find her throat feeling tight, like she swallowed a golf ball. She’s just so tired and stressed and worried and she needs to fucking sleep. She screws her eyes shut, scrubbing at them with the heels of her hands and letting out a shaky breath, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. Just one night. One fucking night.

“Allura,” Nyma calls gently, making Allura lower her hands again. “Can I ask you something?”

“Mhm,” Allura answers even though it comes out too quiet.

“When’s the last time someone held you?”

The question pulls her up short. The truth is, she can’t really remember the last time she had a proper, comforting hug from someone. Any hug she’d given one of the boys was always a short pat on the back.

“I don’t know,” she whispers eventually.

There’s silence for a moment and then she hears Nyma’s feet hitting the carpeted floor. One, two, three, four steps and Nyma’s lifting the other side of her blanket.

“What are you doing?” she asks confusedly, voice sounding too hoarse considering she hasn’t slept a wink.

“I’m fucking holding you,” Nyma huffs. “You need it.”

With that, Nyma climbs into the empty space in her bed, hands reaching out for Allura and pulling her back against her chest. Allura lets out a full-body shiver when they lock into place, Nyma’s strong arms looping around her middle while her knees tuck up behind Allura’s. Hesitantly, Allura folds her own arms over Nyma’s where they’re crossed on her stomach, closing her eyes against the swell of emotion she feels at being held for the first time in so long.

“Is this okay?” Nyma asks, her words muffled by Allura’s t-shirt covered shoulder.

She doesn’t think she’s strong enough to speak so she just nods, knowing Nyma will be able to feel it.

They fall quiet then, slowly becoming comfortable in their positions and Allura finds her limbs growing increasingly heavy as she settles. Nyma’s hand slides over her stomach, gentle and slow, and the touch is more tender than anything she’s experienced in so long it almost makes her eyes well up again. Nyma’s chest is rising and falling against her back and Allura feels a special kind of safety when she notices their breaths syncing up.

Releasing a shaky exhale, she tightens her hand on Nyma’s wrist and whispers, “You don’t have to do this.”

“Good night, Allura,” Nyma mumbles.

It doesn’t take long after that, with Nyma surrounding her and keeping her warm, for Allura to drift off.

 

* * *

 

 Allura wakes up five minutes before her alarm the next morning, cocooned in warmth and feeling well-rested for the first time in weeks.

She has a brief moment where she buries deeper under the covers before she recognises the arms around her waist and the chest pressed against her back. Her eyes dart open in panic but the slow breathing behind her ear tells him Nyma is still fast asleep. As quietly as she can, Allura picks up her phone from the nightstand to silence her alarm before it goes off and carefully eases herself out from underneath Nyma’s arms.

She allows himself a handful of seconds to linger on the sight of Nyma sleeping soundly in her bed before she tiptoes out of the room and escapes to the shower.

Under the hot spray, she tries to clear her head. What the hell happened last night? How did they even get to that point? And the thing is, it’s innocent, really. They cuddled and slept in the same bed yet somehow Allura feels more exposed and vulnerable than she ever has with a one night stand.

She shuts the shower off reluctantly, making the hesitant trip back through the apartment to her room. She relaxes somewhat when she hears Nyma bustling around in the kitchen even though she knows she’s just delaying the inevitable. She takes her time getting changed, towel drying her mane of hair absently with one hand while she stuffs her notebooks back in her bag.

Her covers are rumpled from when Nyma got out of bed and Allura wants nothing more than to crawl back under them and disappear into that comforting, sleep-soft place she’d sunk into last night. But when she checks the time on her phone and sees it’s 7:17, she sighs – they need to leave if they’re going to make the bus on time.

She steps out of her room and makes her way to the living room, finding Nyma already standing at the front door when she gets there. Nyma looks up from her phone at her arrival, offering her a quiet smile while pocketing it. “Morning.”

“Morning,” Allura mumbles, feeling shaky under Nyma’s gaze.

“Ready to go?”

Allura nods, slipping out through the front door when Nyma opens it for her.

They walk to the bus stop in silence and it’s not their usual, it’s-too-early-to-speak silence. Allura can feel the tension between them like a physical barrier, forcing them apart rather than letting them walk shoulder to shoulder like they normally do.

But there’s no avoiding one another on the bus; it’s packed with people and they’re lucky to find a spot next to one of the poles in between a businessman and a couple of teenagers on their way to school. They’re practically chest to chest where they stand and Allura has no other choice but to bear it unless she wants to turn her back completely to Nyma.

“Did you have breakfast this morning?” Nyma asks when a few more minutes of uncomfortable silence have passed.

Allura looks up at the sound of her voice, momentarily startled as she tries to register the question. Food had been the last thing on her mind this morning. “Uh, no. I guess I forgot,” she mutters, finding it difficult to maintain eye contact, especially under Nyma’s penetrating gaze.

She’s busy staring at the zipper of her jacket when Nyma’s hand appears in her line of sight holding out a cereal bar.

She raises her head again, mouth dropped open in an attempt to speak while Nyma carefully pushes the bar into her slack hand.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you know,” she says and there’s something in her smile, as if it’s a peace offering for a fight they’ve never had.

“Thanks,” Allura says quietly, smiling weakly in return.

“Allura,” Nyma says. “Whatever you’re overthinking right now, it’s okay.”

Allura pauses in surprise, blinking at Nyma while she tries to slow her heartbeat.

“Really,” Nyma promises lowly. “It’s okay.”

Allura wants to reply but she doesn’t know what to say so she just nods, smiling in silent thanks. Judging by Nyma’s own smile she can tell what Allura isn’t saying. The rest of their journey passes quietly but it’s different now, more comfortable. And when they arrive on campus Nyma’s careful, “See you at home,” makes something indescribable bloom in her chest.

 

* * *

 

 Her good mood carries through to the rest of the day and when she meets some of her school friends for lunch they notice almost instantly.

“What’s this?” Shay exclaims, eyes widening comically. “Allura Altea is smiling and doesn’t look dead on her feet?!”

Allura rolls her eyes but it doesn’t dim her smile as she drops into the empty seat waiting for her. “Shut up,” she mutters.

“What’s your secret?” Shay persists, eyes gleaming – but Allura can see the relief hidden in her expression. “New skincare routine?”

“Just got a good night’s sleep last night,” Allura shrugs. “That’s all.”

“Finally,” Plaxum, a girl in her biology class, declares around a mouthful of her sandwich. “You’ve looked so pissy in class lately.”

Allura rounds on her, offended. “No, I haven’t!”

“You’ve been a little mopey,” Hunk amends. “It’s fine, you’re tired. We mostly ignore it, dude.”

“Some friends you are,” Allura scoffs buts she’s happy. For the first time in almost a month – pretty much since college began, honestly – she’s gotten a decent night’s sleep. And sure, it ended up only being about five hours but somehow those five hours of real sleep rather than the fitful dozing she’s been experiencing for weeks actually make her feel rested. She’s not instantly better, she still feels a little sluggish, but it’s a step in the right direction.

“Man, we’re happy you’re sleeping again,” Shay says, expression suddenly serious as she reaches over to squeeze Allura’s shoulder. “We mean it.”

Allura nods, allowing herself a moment to smile gratefully at each of them before she shakes her head and lets the tension break. Plaxum relaxes back in her chair again while Hunk and Shay return to their lunch and Allura goes digging in her bag for his food. “Enough about my sleeping habits,” she says as she peels open the tinfoil her sandwich is wrapped in. “What’s up?”

“I’m having a party on Friday,” Plaxum says.

“Awesome,” Hunk grins. “You always throw good parties.”

Allura hums in agreement. There’s a certain kind of comfort she feels going to parties of people she knows at places she knows. And she hasn’t hung out with many people outside of campus in a while anyway.

“Sounds good,” Shay says and Allura can feel her eyes on her when she pauses. “You should, uh, invite that new roommate of yours, ‘Lura.”

Allura looks up, face instantly twisting into a scowl when she notices Shay’s smirk. Bitch.

“Oh yeah, we should!” Hunk exclaims, oblivious to the daggers Allura is glaring at Shay. “How’s that going, sharing a room and everything?”

“Yeah,” Plaxum chimes in. “You guys haven’t told us much about her. What’s her name? Nyma?”

Allura is going to kill Shay.

The thing is, she hasn’t really told her friends about Nyma beyond her first conversation with Shay. She’s not good at bringing up crushes of her own accord! And she’s been secretly hoping it’ll just go away if she doesn’t talk about it. But after last night…

Allura thinks it’s becoming a bit of a hopeless cause now.

“Yeah, Nyma,” she mutters, directing her answer to Plaxum before looking at the others. “Things have been going fine, she’s nice.”

“Not like, using your stuff or anything?” Hunk asks.

“Nope,” Allura says, praying her voice sounds as even and casual as it does in her head. “It’s been chill.”

There’s silence for a brief moment and then Hunk’s eyes widen and he points an accusatory finger at Isak. “Holy shit, you like her!”

Allura rears back, spluttering out a response. “Wh- I do not! I-“

“Oh my god, give it up, Lu!” Shay cackles, bent double in her seat. “Just tell them.”

“You knew?!” Plaxum demands, gaze snapping to Shay. “We not good enough for you, Allura?”

“It’s not that,” Allura huffs, “I just-“

“Holy shit, would you stop making excuses and just tell us the details, please?” Hunk complains.

Allura looks from one expectant face to the next and slumps in her chair. “Fuck, fine.”

Shay coos happily, clapping her hands together, as they all edge their chairs closer to hear her better.

“She’s-“ She falls silent for a moment, trying to think how she could possibly sum up the feelings swirling inside her chest every time she’s around Even. In the end she thinks back to her conversation with Shay from right after Shay moved in. “Shay, you said after a couple of weeks I wouldn’t like her as much because I’d notice all her gross habits or she’d get on my nerves or whatever. But it’s been a couple of weeks and I only like her more,” he groans forlornly, slouching over the table and burying her head in his arms.

“Well, why do you like him?” Plaxum asks.

Allura pushes herself up again, sighing as she tries to think of the best way to describe it. “She’s just- really easy to talk to and I feel, like, comfortable with her.” He shakes his head, “I can’t explain it but it feels like I’ve known her longer than two and a half weeks.”

“Well, I mean, sharing a room would probably do that,” Hunk says. “Being in one another’s most personal space all the time is gonna make you grow closer than if you were just living in the same apartment. It took me awhile to get to know you.”

Allura nods. “And that’d be fine if we were just friends but I don’t think I want to be just friends,” she admits, voice trailing off as she reaches the end of her sentence.

“Are you any closer to figuring out how she feels about the whole thing?” Shay asks and Allura’s mind immediately flashes to last night.

She supposes that could’ve been considered friendly cuddling. She and Shay have cuddled before, right after her dad died and she was a mess. But it just- it felt different. This feels different.

“I don’t know,” she answers honestly. “Part of me hopes so but I don’t know if that’s just wishful thinking.”

“Okay,” Shay says decisively. “You’re inviting her on Friday. You need a second opinion on this, We’ll tell you if she likes you.”

Allura raises an eyebrow, huffing out a laugh. “I’m pretty sure Lance has better gaydar than you three. You’re all straight”

Shay rolls her eyes. “It’s not about gaydar, it’s about relationships. I can tell when two people like each other, trust me.”

“Shay has a point, you know,” Hunk says. “Plus Lance lives with us; he’s too close to the situation. They’re observers. They can give you an objective opinion.”

Allura casts them a doubtful look. “You’re my friends. How is that objective?”

“For fuck’s sake, will you just invite her?” Shay laughs exasperatedly.

“Fine.”

 

* * *

 

 Allura goes to bed early that night, intending on trying to get a full eight hours sleep and spurred on by the success of the night before, but by one she’s accepted that tonight is probably going to be like every other night this month.

The fact that the only two times she’s slept properly recently both have the common denominator of Nyma is not lost on her but she’s not quite brave enough to reach out. Mostly because she feels stupid – what is she? A kid who can’t sleep without her stuffed animal?

But by 3 am she’s desperate.

She’s desperate and she just wants to sleep.

“Nyma,” she calls, not loud enough to disturb the quiet of their room but loud enough that hopefully Nyma will hear her.

A beat or two of silence and then-

“Yeah?”

Allura inhales a shaky breath, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted and entirely unsure about how to ask for what she wants. In the end she settles for a murmured, “I can’t sleep.”

Nyma pauses for a moment. “Want me to come over?” she asks, voice soft around the edges with sleep.

Allura closes her eyes and whispers, “Yes.”

She doesn’t move until she hears Nyma padding across the room, lifting the covers and letting in a brief chill that makes goosebumps appear all over Allura’s body before it’s erased by her warmth. Nyma crawls under the blankets and Allura only hesitates for half a second before she sinks into the comfort of Nyma’s arms.

Nyma curls around her, face tucked up against the nape of Allura’s neck and hands spreading across Allura’s torso. Allura could feel every single nerve ending in her entire body.

“I’m sorry,” Allura says in a hushed voice, because she feels like she has to. She feels ridiculous but she’s too tired for the shame to really eat at her, too comforted by Nyma’s presence to be strong enough to allow her to let go.

“Don’t be, Allura,” Nyma says gently, voice tickling the back of Allura’s neck. “You can need this. You can need people.”

The words make Allura’s eyes burn and she closes them in case any tears try to slip out. “Okay.”

Nyma rubs over her stomach, giving her shoulder the gentlest head-butt that’s so quietly affectionate Allura very nearly melts into the mattress. “Just try to sleep.”

Allura nods, pulling the blankets a little tighter around them.

“There’s a party at my friend, Plaxum’s, house on Friday,” she says after a moment. “You can come if you want.”

She’s not sure but she thinks she almost feels Nyma’s smile against the place where her neck meets her shoulder. “That sounds fun.”

“Cool,” Allura whispers.

“Cool,” Nyma replies and she’s definitely smiling now, Allura can hear it.

“Goodnight, Nyma.”

“Night, Allura.”


	4. four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t know,” Nyma cuts in. “I mean, I haven’t seen her in action but I’m pretty sure Allura could get whatever girl she wanted.”
> 
> Allura chokes a little on her drink, snapping her gaze to Nyma and feeling her brain short-circuit at the tiny smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey!! sorry for such a short update, this one is almost like a chapter three part two. but the next one is where things actually start happening........... hope you guys like it!!

Allura slips out of bed in the morning before Nyma wakes up. But that doesn’t stop Nyma from ending up in her bed once again Thursday night. By the time Friday evening rolls around Allura’s had three full nights’ sleep and she actually feels mostly human again. She and Nyma still haven’t really talked about it. It’s just this unspoken thing they only acknowledge with vague words during the day or silent understanding during the night.

But something has shifted between them, she can feel it.

Hunk and Lance have already left to help Plaxum set up the party and Keith is in the living room which means it’s just Allura and Nyma while they wait for Shay to come pick them up. Allura’s busying herself with putting up dishes, trying her best to ignore the looks from Nyma.

“So how intimidated should I be about meeting your friends?” Nyma asks from her seat at the kitchen table.

Allura looks over her shoulder, face scrunched up in derision. “Not even a little bit. They’re like overgrown babies.”

Nyma barks out a laugh. “Good to know.”

Allura is about to warn her about how Plaxum will likely say something inappropriate within five minutes of meeting her when the doorbell buzzes. Speak of the devil.

“I’ll get it,” Allura says.

Nyma gives her a soldier’s salute that makes Allura roll her eyes, though it’s mostly to hide the disgustingly fond look she gets on her face. Nyma’s not allowed to be hot and adorable. She has to pick one.

Allura buzzes Shay up and waits by the door while she climb the stairs. As soon as she’s through the door she’s on the receiving end of a small hug from Shay, and despite the anxiety she’s feeling over tonight, she’s happy to see her.

Nyma walks into the entryway from the kitchen and gives Shay a little wave.

“Oh, this is Nyma,” Allura announces, gesturing to her– which is a fairly useless action considering all three of them are smushed together in the small space.

But her words manage to spring them into action and Shay steps forward. “Shay,” she greets, offering a hand that Nyma leans forward to shake. “I’ve heard so much about you!”

And this is before she has alcohol in her system.

Allura suppresses a sigh and they all walk into the hall and downstairs to Shay’s car.

“So, Nyma, you go to college too, right?” Shay asks and Allura is silently thanking whatever deity exists that her best friend is always so reliable at dispelling awkward situations.

“Yeah,” Nyma answers as they all step into the car. “Music theory.”

“Cool! Are you working on anything right now?”

That sets Nyma and Shay off on an enthusiastic conversation about the concept for Nyma’s current project and Allura feels something settle in her at how they instantly seem to click. It’s nice that her best friend can get along with her… Nyma. 

Allura mentally scolds herself at the slip-up and lets herself sink back into the seat. They arrive at Plaxum’s just a couple minutes later thankfully and Allura almost throws herself from the car. Plaxum answers the door and gives them all a huge smile as they walk in.

“Allura, please,” Plaxum is begging a few minutes later. They’ve all drifted into the living room at this point.

“No,” Allura snorts, pouring herself a drink from the punch bowl on the table set up by the window.

“Please be my wingwoman tonight.”

Plaxum’s pleas seem to be enough to shake Nyma and Shay out of their conversation and they both look up.

“What’s going on?” Nyma asks.

“Allura refuses to be my wingwoman,” Plaxum sulks before twisting back to Allura and redoubling her efforts. “I’ll do your laundry for the next month or something. Come on. You’re the flirtiest out of all of us. You’ve got game with guys.”

Allura rolls her eyes and sits down on the couch with them. “Plaxum. I don’t like boys.”

Shay cracks up, sniggering into her beer and when Allura chances a glance at Nyma she finds her grinning amusedly down at her drink.

“I know that,” Plaxum huffs. “Doesn’t change the fact you got any guy you wanted in high school without even trying.”

“That’s the point. I didn’t want any of those guys,” Allura says, shaking her head and biting back a smirk at Plaxum’s pitiful expression. “Besides that had nothing to do with my personality. I’m just hotter than you.”

“Oof, check the ego,” Shay laughs. “When’s the last time you hooked up with a chick?”

Allura rounds on her, fixing her with a murderous glare. She thought tonight was supposed to be them figuring out if Nyma liked Allura, not “Embarrass Allura in front of Nyma until she realises what a pathetic mess she really is.”

“Fuck you,” Allura retorts. “I just haven’t gone out in a while.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Plaxum adds. “You definitely don’t have the same game with girls that you do with guys.”

_ That’s because I actually like girls and I get flustered, asshole. _

“I don’t know,” Nyma cuts in. “I mean, I haven’t seen her in action but I’m pretty sure Allura could get whatever girl she wanted.”

Allura chokes a little on her drink, snapping her gaze to Nyma and feeling her brain short-circuit at the tiny smile on her face.

_ Are you included in that equation? _

Allura whips around to look back at Plaxum and when she makes eye contact and she winks at her.

That smooth, reverse psychology-using motherfucker.

Allura is too stunned to react and is only absently aware of Shay coming to her rescue again. “Of course she could. Which is why, Plax, you’re leaving Allura alone tonight. She needs a hook-up. Me and Lance can help you get some guy.”

“I could help,” Nyma offers and Allura has recovered enough from her earlier shock that she’s able to look back at her in disbelief. “I’ve been told I’m a pretty good flirt,” she adds.

“No way,” Plaxum says. “Thanks for the offer but no way in hell is any guy gonna look at me if you’re there.”

Nyma lets out a surprised laugh. “But it’s fine if Allura does it?”

“Well, yeah. She doesn’t like guys, they can’t really go for her instead of me,” Plaxum points out. “And Allura said you just broke up with your boyfriend, so…”

And there goes the inappropriate comment.

“Plaxum,” Allura admonishes, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“What?” Plaxum asks obliviously. “It’s not a fucking secret, Allura, it’s the whole reason she’s living with you.”

Nyma laughs again before Allura can consider defending her honor. “Yeah, I like guys,” she allows. “But I like girls too, so if you need me to make out with some girl to make sure your potential hook-ups don’t get the wrong idea, I can do that.”

Allura doesn’t even have time to process the information before she can literally see the idea forming in Plaxum’s head and when she sees her opening her mouth to speak, Allura jumps to her feet. “Anyone want more beer? I think there’s more in the fridge!”

She disappears to the kitchen, pushing through the small crowd of people that have already arrived before anyone can actually answer her and slumps against the counter once she’s safely hidden to get her bearings. Shit, she learned a lot in the last ten minutes.

Seconds later, Shay enters into the kitchen wearing a triumphant grin on her face. When Allura gives her an exasperated look her expression only brightens.

“Allura,” she says quietly. “She likes you. I know it.”

Shay moves to grab a beer from the fridge, giving Allura a single nod and, with that, she slips out of the room again.

Allura watches her go, mind reeling and feeling a smile slowly spread across her face.

Maybe.

 

* * *

 

 

The party is in full force a couple hours later. People are starting to have to hang out outside because the house is getting too packed and Allura is feeling a little claustrophobic at this point. 

She sneaks out to the porch for a breather, her head already kind of pounding. She’s got a drink in her hand but has no idea what it even is. Rubbing her head, Allura thinks, _ This is gonna hurt tomorrow morning _ .

She takes another sip and smacks her lips, looking out at the street.

“Having fun?” Nyma asks, sneaking up on Allura, nudging her shoulder with her own. She jumps a little, her reaction time a little slow.

Allura hasn’t seen her in well over an hour and the last time she did she was still flirting on Plaxum’s behalf. “Yeah.”

Nyma quirks an eyebrow and take a seat next to her roommate. “That doesn’t sound very convincing.”

Allura blows out a breath, sending Nyma a sidelong glance. “Sorry, I guess I’m just a little tired.”

“Wanna go home?”

Allura blinks at the question, heart squeezing in her chest when she hears the word home. “We don’t have to go,” she says, more out of obligation than anything else. Honestly her bed sounds pretty good right now. It sounds even better with the prospect of Nyma in it…

“I got Plaxum a guy,” Nyma says. “I think my work here is done.”

“Don’t wanna hook up with anyone yourself?” Allura asks because she’s a masochist.

Nyma looks at her with an unreadable expression. “Nah. I’m pretty tired too.”

Allura can hear her own pulse thundering in her ears as she nods, sparing a glance for the crowded room before following Nyma out the door.

Nyma calls an Uber once they’re on the sidewalk and they wait in silence. A black Honda pulls up a couple moments later and they get in and greet the driver. Allura feels a little nauseous on the ride home but she doesn’t say anything. Their driver drops them off and they walk upstairs to their place.

Nyma puts the key in the door and fidgets with it for a moment before the door opens and they step inside. The apartment is completely still and Allura feels strange.

She feels strange taking off her jacket and hanging it up next to Nyma’s by the door. She feels strange toeing off her shoes and leaving them next to Nyma’s against the wall. She feels strange seeing how seamlessly they both weave around each other to carry out their night-time routines. She feels strange while she holds her head over the toilet and empties her stomach of the night. She feels strange when she’s about to climb into bed and she realises she expects Nyma to follow her.

She sits up in her bed carefully, unsure of what to do. Nyma is still in the bathroom and Allura knows it’d be easy to turn off the light right now and just pretend to be asleep when she comes back into the room. But if there’s one thing she knows, it’s that she doesn’t want to go to bed alone.

Just one more night, she thinks. One more night and then she’ll leave Nyma alone. She won’t ask anymore.

Glancing down at her pillows, she switches them around without much thought, giving Nyma the white one she normally sleeps on. She tells herself it’s because Nyma’s doing her a favor and the least she could do is let her sleep on her good pillow but in the back of her head she knows that if Nyma sleeps on that pillow the smell of her hair will linger and it might help Allura sleep when she’s in bed alone. She’s still sitting up when Nyma comes back into the room and Nyma stops short at the end of her bed, expression asking Allura a silent question.

Allura stares back at her, trying to force the words out of her mouth. She flits her gaze down at the mattress and looks back up again. “I- I don’t think I can go to sleep on my own,” she whispers, heart hammering in her chest.

Nyma’s expression softens and she steps forward, rounding the bed and crawling onto her– the other – side. Allura reaches over and switches the lamp off, lying down on her back and feeling her skin tingle where Nyma’s fingers circle her wrist, tugging gently. She rolls onto her side, shuffling back until the now familiar planes of Nyma’s chest press against her back. She goes pliant in Nyma’s arms almost instantly, body relaxing entirely and eyes drifting shut.

Nyma’s legs tangle with hers beneath the duvet and the little bit extra, that little gesture that pushes them closer, makes Allura’s chest feel full.

She falls asleep within minutes.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> follow me on tumblr for updates!  
> tumblr: dykenyma

**Author's Note:**

> and that's it! i'll try to post weekly or every other week idk right now but leave a comment or kudos the work please!! it means a lot


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